Knitted article and method of making the same



March 4, 1941.

P. KRENKEL KNITTED ARTICLE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Original Filed Dec. 5, 1932 El i (i7 az www INVENTOR @qui fren/@ez S@ ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 4, 1941 PATENT OFFICE KNITTED ARTICLE AND METHOD 0F MAKINGTHE SAME Paul Krenkel, Philadelphia, Pa.; Elizabeth Klara Krenkel, executrix of Paul Krenkel, deceased,

assignor to Heel-In-Hecl Incorporated, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation vof Pennsylvania Original application Dec 645,664. Divided and 1933, Serial No. 672,470

20 Claims.

My invention is an improved 'fabric' particularly designed for use in the manufacture of hosiery having a diaphanous portion. and a reenforced portion laterally adjacent to the diaphanous portion and engaged in the stocking seam,

and a method of making suchfabric, particularly of the full-fashioned type.

My invention provides a reenforced section or selvage for a sheer knitted silk fabric having anv area of uniform average dlaphanousness and flneness of textureand which area is free from the variationsin sheerness which form disguring bands or stripes of different densities and opacities in such fabrics due to inequalities in the thickness of the silk filaments formed by the silkworm, and which variations in the natural silk bres prevent the formation of silkyarns of uniform diameter containing less than about seven threads or of less than one hundred deniers.

In ne silk knitting yarns formed from continuous bres of substantial length there are numerous sections of greater or lessy than average thickness or dia'meterand of` such lengths as to form a number of courses of loops of the width required in the production of full-fashioned hosiery, and the juxtaposition of a number of courses of loops made of yarn sections of greater thinness or thickness than average produces a disguration in the product which I have found is obviated if the courses of thin or thick yarn are not adjacent to one another and are so indispersed with other courses as to produce an average texture and diaphanousness. 'Ivhe average uniformity of texture resulting from my improvements permits the production of leg fabrics of uniform length for a given number of courses and the production of leg fabrics and complementary foot fabrics of 'like density, diaphanousness and shade, even though there be used in` each of such fabrics silk yarns from Vdifferent silk growing areas.

In accordance with my invention, I obviatev the formation of disguring bands or stripes of 45 abnormal transparency -or opacity by interlacing each course of'loops, formed from the above described yarn drawn from one cone or supply,Il with-courses of loops formed from such yarn drawn from different sources of supply, so that 50 the yarns from the several courses and placed in juxtaposed courses of loops give a fabric of uniform average density and diaphanousness, and a yarn aforesaid forms a full width layer ofloops in one course of the fabric and a reenforcing par- 55 tial layer oi loops in each of the two following ember 5, 1932, Serial No'. this application May 23,

courses; the full width layer of loops of each of the two latter courses being made o f different yarns than the first full width course. v The possibility of similar subnormally thin or of abnormally thick sections being drawn simultaneously 5 or in immediate sequence from several different -yarn supplies is so remote as to be negligible, and the interposition of other courses between loop courses formed from a thin section or from a thick section of one yarn dispels the deleterious eiect thereof. l I y In the preferred embodiment of .my invention. my improved fabric consists of a set of spaced courses of loops knitted from a, yarnv of silk of varying thickness and containing no more than one hundred deniers o`r seven threads, a second set of spaced courses of loops knitted from a yarn of similar silk, and a third set of spaced courses of loops knitted from a yarn of similar silk. The courses of each set are so arranged that a course of one set has knitted thereto a course of a second set, to which is preferably knitted a course of the third set, and the courses of one set formed of thin silk sections are staggered with adjacent courses of the other sets formed of average or thicker silk sections, The second course of the first set is knitted to the rstl course of the 'third set, the secbnd course of the second set is knitted to the second course of the iirst set, the Y second course of the third set is knitted-to the second course of the secondv set, and so on, each yarn being laid for a single course in the center of the fabric and as selvage reenforcements of two courses at the edge of the fabric. Consequently, the central portions of the sequential courses of each set have interposed between' them v a course of each of the other sets and 'a fabric having an area of uniform average density and sheerness is produced. I

Portions of the'fabricv so reenforced or plated, 40 when used in making' hosiery, .may provide spaced "splicings adjacent to 4the stocking heel. Such reenforcement may be inserted in the Y splicings or high heel while maintaining uniformity in the sheerness of the fabric forming the instep portion of the stocking, and by the use of the same carriers used in forming the sheer leg portion of the fabric.

The characteristicv features and advantages of my improvements will further appear from the following description and the accompanying drawingl illustrating diagrammatically my improved fabric and the method of making the same.

In the drawing, Fig.` 1 is a. greatly enlarged 55 broken plan view showing diagrammatically the i knitting of a fabric embodying my improvements ,and suitable for use as a stocking leg; Fig. 2 lllustrates diagrammatically the path of a yarn in lforming the diaphanous median section and reenforced edge sections of the fabric; and Fig. 3 `shows a full-fashioned seamed stocking formed `of fabric reenforced ,in accordance with my invention.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, my invention is comprised in a fabric suitable for use in the manufacture of full-fashioned silk hosiery and comprising a welt section A, which may be knitlted in the conventional manner, and a leg section B having reenforced sections C and D ern-- `bodying and knitted in accordance with my invention.

The leg section B is knitted of thrown silk yarns each of less than one hundred deniers, each yarn being composed of a plurality of strands, preferably not exceeding seven, which may be either twisted together or laid parallel. `Each course of loops is formed from yarn having a source different from the source of the yarn used in the adjacent course, and each yarn has spaced sections of subnormal or abnormal thickness and of suflicient length to form more than la single course of loops in the fabric.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the thrown silk yarn I, of a size not exceeding one hundred deniers `and composedcf continuous sections of varying thickness, forms an initial course of loops Ia `knitted onto the welt section A of the fabric. lThe silk yarn 2 from a different cone or source, `but likewise composed of one or more strands of y lthrown silk having substantially the same denier size or count as the yarn I, and composed of sections of .varying thickness, is knitted through `the loops of the course Ia so as to form a course `of loops 2a which begins at the side of the fabric where the course I a terminated, and termivvhates at the side of the fabric where the course through the loops of the course 2a to form a course 3a, which begins at the side 'of the fabric l where the course 2a ends and terminates at the side of the fabric where the course 2a began.

` The yarn I is now knitted through the course of loops 3a to form a course of loops I b beginning where the course 3a ended and ending where the course 3a began. i 'I'he yarn 2 is then knitted through the course of loops Ib to form a course of loops 2b beginning where the course Ib terminated and terminating where the course Ib began.

The yarn 3 is now knitted through the course of loops 2b to form a course of loops 3b beginning where the course of loops 2b terminated and terminating where the course of loops 2b began. The-same sequence of knitting the yarns I, 2 and 3 through succeeding courses of loops is repeated for any given number of course.' with such usual narrowing at the edges of the fabric as may be necessary or desired, -and any desired length of the edges of the fabric may be reenforced by laying courses as indicated in Fig. 2. In order to provide a reenforcement and increase the size of the heel, the sections C and D are plated or reenforced with a double thickness of yarn at the lower end of the fabric, the sections C and D having between them the sheer sectionE which must be of comparable texture, sheerness and uniformity with the leg section B.

To effect the reenforcement or plating of the sections C and D, the yarns I and 3 are knitted through the loops of -the course 32 for a number of wales equal to the desired width of the section C, the yarn I only is knitted through the loops of the course 32 for a number of wales equal to the desired width of the intermediate section E, and the yarns I and 2 are knitted together through the remaining loops of the course 32 for al number of wales equal to the desired width of the section D; the yarn 2 having been first moved inward from the edge of the fabric. It will, therefore, be seen that all of the yarns I, 2 and 3 enter into the formation of the course Illa knitted through the course 32 at the beginning of the splicing and instep area of the leg.

To form the next course IIa, the yarn 2 and the yarn I together are knitted through loops of the course IIIa for a number of wales equal to the desired width of the splicing D, the yarn 2 alone is knittedthrough loops of the course Illa for a number of wales equal to the desired width of thevsection E, andthe yarns 2 and 3 are knitted together through the remaining loops of theY course I0a for a number of wales equal to the desired width of the splicing C. In this course I Ia all the yarns have been incorporated, but the yarn forming the sheer section E in the course IIa is different from the yarn forming the sheer section E in the course Illa.

To formv the next course I2a, ther yarn 2 and the yarn 3 are knitted together through loops of the course IIa for a number of wales equal to the desired width of the section C, the yarn 3 alone is knitted through loops of the course Ila for a number of wales equal to the desired width of the section E, and the yarn 3, and the yarn I are knitted through the remaining loops of' the course IIa for a number of wales equal to the desired width of the splicing D.

The knitting is now continued in similar manner to form the courses Illb, IIb, and I2b and as many additional courses are similarly knitted as may be necessary to form a fabric section having splicings or spaced plated areas of desired length. 4

In carrying out the knitting of the yarns as above described, there may be advantageously utilized lthe usual sinkers, with dividers lying between them, needles and yarn carriers 23, 24 and V25 of a usual type of full-fashioned knittin machine.

As illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 1, the course of loops Ia was knit from yarn I drawn from the cone IA and laid on the sinkers of a usual full-fashioned knitting machine by the carrier 23, the carrier moving from left to right in laying the yarn for this course, as shownv and described in my co-pending application Serial No. 645,664 filed December 5, 1932,v whereof the present application is a division; Letters Patent No. 2,202,528 having been issued on such original application on May 28, 1940. The laid yarn, after being acted on by the usual dividers in the usual manner, was knitted by the usual needles through the last course or courses of the welt section A. When the course of loops Ia was completed, the carrier 23 was left at the right hand end of the machine and the carrier 24. moved toward the left and laid on the sinkers a yarn 2 drawn from a second supply or cone 2A, this yarn being laid from right to left and in position to be interlaced with the course Ia by the knitting needles 22 to form the course of loops 2a. When the course of loops 2a was completed, the carrier 25 laid a yarn from a third cone or source of supply 3A, the carrier moving from left to right and placing a section of the yarn 3 on the slnkers in position to be divided and knitted into the course 2a to form the course of loops 3a. The carrier 23 was then moved from right to left to lay a' -Ib and the carrier 25 was 'then moved from right to left to lay a further section of yarn 3 ready to be knitted by the needles through the course of loops 2b, as shown. Such knitting will result in the formation of the course of loops 3b and the knitting may be continued by repeatedly forming courses from the different yarnsA Iin the sequence described.

The operation of the carriers 23, 24 and 25 to produce the reenforced sections C and D may be effected by suitable mechanism not necessary to describe herein.

In practice it results that any subnormal or abnormal thickness of a section of the yarn I is substantially compensated for by an average thickness or a complementary abnormal or subnormal thickness of the sections of the yarns 2 and 3 laid in sequence, and conversely the variations in the thicknesses of different sections of the yarn 2 are compensated for by unlike variations in the yarns I and 3, and variations in the thicknesses of sections of the yarn 3 are compensated for by unlike variations in the thicknesses of adjacent sections of the yarns I and 2, with the result that the diaphanous portion of the fabric has a uniform average sheerness free of any disguring bands of noticeable width of excessive or insufficient sheerness, and has a uniform average density and textureso that fabrics containing the same number of courses are of substantially the same length and shade, whereas ordinarily the courses per inch are less in number where fine silk sections are knitted into the fabric than where the silk is heavy; see for instance Special News Letter and Knit Goods Bulletin, published September 29, 1926, by The National Association of Hosiery and Underwear Manufacturers, and Textile World for December 6, 1930, page 74.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A seamed knitted silk stocking having courses forming a diaphanous portion and a reenforced portion laterally adjacent to the diaphanous portion and engaged in the stocking seam, said portions being b oth composed exclusively of the same three yarns, each of said yarns having sections which are greater or less than the average thickness of such yarn and each yarn extending across the diaphanous portion of the stocking in every third course only.

2. A full-fashioned selvedged silk stocking composed throughout a substantial portion thereof of yarns of natural silk of substantially the same color and character, said stocking being of a weight in which so-,called horizontal streaks, bands or light and heavy shade characteristics can ordinarily be observed, as for example in a.

substantially translucent stocking said portion of the stocking being formed of at least three separate yarns of natural silk, each laid for a single course in the center of the fabric and as selvage reenforcements of two courses at the edge of the fabric until the entire series of said separate yarns of natural silk has been so laid; the said yarns being similarly laid in repetition each for a single course only in the center of the fabric throughoutfsaid substantial portion of the length of the stocking, whereby the inevitable inequalities in dierent portions of the same yarn of natural silk are diifused and distributed, and said inequalities are all blended by the said interposition of single courses of all the yarns so that the so-called horizontal streaks or bands or light and heavy shade characteristics are substantially eliminated.

3. A knitted fabric having a plurality -of reenforced sections spaced in a course-wise direction and with a sheer intermediate section between them, said fabric being composed of a plurality of sets of courses of loops, each set of courses being formed from a continuous yarn, each such yarn forming a reenforcement in a reenforced section and then forming a course in the intermediate section and spaced courses of the intermediate section being formed from one yarn and being connected together only by courses formed from another yarn.

4. A stocking blank having a course consisting of loops extending the full width of the blank formed from a first thread, loops of a second thread extending across one selvage and loopsy of a third thread extending across the other selvage, a succeeding course containing the same three threads and consisting of loops extending the full width of the blank formed from the second thread, loops of the first thread extending across one selvage only and loops of the third thread extending across the other selvage only, a succeeding course composed of loops of the third thread extending the full width of the blank, loops of the rst thread extending across one selvage only and loops of the second thread extending across the other selvage only followed by additional courses repeating the three course cycle in the above order.

5. A knitted fabric having reenforced selvages and formed with a multiplicity of threads all of which are included in the selvages of every course and'each of which alone forms in rotation the intermediate portion of successive courses.

6. A knitted fabric in which a single thread forms a full width'layer of loops in one course and a reenforcing partial layer of loops in each of the two following courses the full width layer of loops of each of these two latter courses being made of diierent' threads than the rst full width layer.

7. A knitted fabric having a plurality of sets of `courses of loops, each set f courses being formed from a yarn having sections of varying thickness, the courses of each set having inter posed between them courses of another set and the courses of each set having edge sections reenforced by the yarns forming the courses of the other set,

8. A knitted fabric consisting of a full width layer of loops composed of successive series of courses each course of each series being of a different thread than the other courses of that A 3 knitting a course of posed exclusively of threads employed in the full Width layer.

v9. A diaphanous knitted silk fabric having a central section of substantially uniform average 5 sheerness composed of yarns each having sections of varying thickness and having loops formed of va thin section of one yarn interlaced with a thicker section of another yarn noncontinuous therewith, said fabric having a reenforced edge l0 composed of course sections each composed of yarns forming a plurality of courses in the central section.

10. A knitted fabric having reenforced selvages and composed of three threads each of which extends the full width of the fabric in every third course only and across a selvage only in the two intervening courses.

11. A knitted fabric having a plurality of sets of courses of loops, each set of courses being formed from aryarn having sections of varying thickness, the courses of each set having interposed between them courses of a plurality of other sets and the courses of each set having edge sections reenforced by the yarns forming the courses of each of the other sets.

12. In the method of knitting fabric from yarns of varying thickness, the steps which include yarn loopsfrom one supply,

knitting in interlacing relation therewith a 3Q second course of yarn loops from a second Supply, knitting in interlacing relation with the second course a `third course of yarn loops from a third supply, knitting in interlacing relation with the third course a fourth course of yarn loops from the first supply, knitting in interlacing and interlacing with each of said courses of loops as formed part courses of loops formed from yarn forming the main yarn of two other courses.

13. In the method of knitting fabric from yarns of varying thickness, the steps which include knitting a course of yarn -loops from one supply `and knitting in interlacing relation therewith a course of yarn loops from a second supply, some of the adjacent courses being formed of yarn sections differing in thickness from the yarn sec'- 50.tions forming an adjoining course and each scourse having' edge sections reenforced by yarns forming intermediate sections of other courses.

14. The method of knitting hosiery fabric lwhich consists of knitting a series of full Width courses each of a different thread and simultane- `ously knitting selvage reenforcement, course by course with the knitting of the full width courses, exclusively of thread employed in full width courses other than the full width course being knit.

15. The method of knitting fabric which consists of knitting a course of loops of one thread the full width of the fabric and simultaneously knitting reenforcing loops of different threads into each selvage, then knitting a second course of the selvage threads and the first mentioned thread are reversed in position.

1 16. In theknitting of fabric,-the steps which comprise laying a yarn along a course, laying a second yarn parallel with the rst yarn along a part only of the course, laying a third yarn along a part only of the course spaced from the second named yarn, and knitting the three yarns into a course of loops; laying the third named yarn along a course, laying the first named yarn along a part of the course, laying the second named yarn along a part of the course spaced from the first named yarn, and knitting the three yarns into a course of loops interlaced with the first course of loops, and laying the second named yarn along a course, laying the third named yarn along a. part only of the course, laying the first named yarn along a part only of the course spaced from the third named yarn, and knitting the three yarns together into loops interlacing with the second named course. f

17. That method of distributing in fullfashioned selvedged silk hosiery or blanks therefor the variations existent in the yarns of natural silk from which said silk hosiery is made and thereby producing full-fashioned selvedged silk hosiery of uniform texture notwithstanding such yarn-variations, which include the following steps in the production of hosiery of a weight in which so-called horizontal streaks, bands or light and heavy shade characteristics can ordinarily be observed, as for example in substantially translucent hosiery: laying the rst yarn of natural silk of a series from one edge of and across a bank of needles and laying the secondyarn with said rst yarn partway across said bank of needles to form one course; laying the second yarn of said series from the opposite edge of and-across said bank of needles and laying the rst and third yarns each partway across said bank of needles to form the next course; laying the third yarn of said series from the same edge of the bank of needles as the rst yarn and laying the first and second yarns each partway across said bank of needles to form the third course and thereby completing the courses of said series and so that no yarn of said series is interlooped directly upon itself entirely across a course; and continuing through at least a part of the stocking the laying of series after series of courses of said yarns as specified, each course of each series being of a yarn of natural silk separate and distinct from every other yarn of that series.

18. In the knitting of fabric having reenforced selvedges, the steps which include laying a yarn from one source from one side to the other of a fabric, knitting such yarn into loops, laying a yarn from a second source from the side second named to the side first named of the fabric, knitting the second yarn into loops interlaced with the first loops, laying a third yarn from a, third supply from the rst named side to the second named side of the fabric, and knitting the third yarn into loops interlaced with the second loops each of said yarns forming selvage reenforcements of other courses.

19. The method of knitting a fabric with reenforced selvages which consists of laying a thread across the full width of the fabric, simultaneously laying another thread across each selvage and forming a course of loops thereof, laying one 0f said selvage threads across the full widthof the fabric, simultaneously laying the two other threads one across each selvage and looping all three threads to the rst mentioned course, laying the other -of the first mentioned selvage threads across the full width of the fabric, simultaneously laying the other two threads one across each selvage and looping all three threads to the preceding course.

20. The method of knitting fabric which consists of laying a thread across the ull width of the fabric, simultaneously laying another thread from the outside edge to the inside edge of one selvage and simultaneously laying a third thread from the inside edge to the outside edge on the other selvage to form a course; laying the third thread across the full width of the fabric, simultaneously laying the first thread from the outside edge to the inside edge of the selvage adjacent the termination of the first course laid and simultaneously laying the second Vthread from the inside edge to the outside edge of the PAUL KRENKEL. 

